Most computer applications require services, such as upgrading the software level and monitoring the application health. Besides these tasks, a service provider has to be at a customer's disposal in case of questions concerning an application. Specifically, the server provider may have to deal with unforeseen problems caused by applications running on the customer's system. In most of these cases, the service provider has to collect information about the configuration and workload of applications and requires access to those applications to carry out the necessary services.
As it is of general interest to work as fast and as cheap as possible, both the customer and the service provider, appreciate the ability to remotely access applications running on the customer's system, provided that the customer is in full control of the remote access.
Nowadays, most computer systems are connected to an open network, such as the Internet. Therefore, one of the goals is to provide remote access via the open network. However, current solutions have problems relating to implementation and security on the remote side, which is usually the customer's side, as well as on the local side, which is usually the service provider's side.
According to one current solution, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection is created to access a remote application behind a firewall and to pass data through the firewall. However, this requires Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) communication ports to be open at the firewall. Most customers will not allow the necessary ports to be open at their firewall. Thus, the VPN-solution is usually not an option.
Another known solution is the use of HTTP tunneling. HTTP tunneling allows a system A to access applications or services on a system B through the firewall of system B. However, HTTP tunneling opens a connection in one direction only. In other words, it does not allow system B to access an application or service on system A through the firewall of system A. Thus, if system B wanted to access an application or service on system A through the firewall of system A, an HTTP tunneling gateway also has to be installed in the firewall of system A. Once again, most companies will not allow such tunneling because it opens new entries into the company's intranet.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and an infrastructure for accessing a remote application running on a system A by a system B via an open network without needing to open additional entries into the firewall of system A.